The present invention relates to a process unit used in an image forming apparatus that adopts electrophotography and the image forming apparatus provided with the process unit.
An image forming apparatus that adopts electrophotography has a photosensitive device, charging device, exposing device, image developing device, transfer device, and fixing device set in its apparatus body, in order to record an image on a recording sheet. The charging device charges the photosensitive device, and the exposing device forms a latent image by exposing the photosensitive device. The image developing device develops the latent image on the photosensitive device and forms a toner image, the transfer device transfers the toner image on the photosensitive device to the recording sheet. The fixing device fixes the toner image on the recording sheet.
In the image forming apparatus, a process unit is constructed as combining a photosensitive device unit having a photosensitive device and a transfer unit having a charging device. More specifically, the process unit transfers a toner image on the photosensitive device to the recording sheet by means of the transfer device, while it transports a recording sheet along a conveyor path between the photosensitive device unit and a charging device unit.
There are some conventional image forming apparatuses, which detachably set a process unit that comprises a photosensitive device unit and a charging device unit as fixedly coupled to each other in the apparatus body. When a recording sheet has been stopped and jammed in a conveyor path of the process unit for any reason, in this arrangement, the recording sheet that jammed in the conveyor path is taken out by extracting the whole process unit from the apparatus body.
There are some other conventional image forming apparatuses which set the process unit that comprises a photosensitive device unit, that is fixed in the apparatus body, and a transfer unit as detachably coupled to each other in the apparatus body. When a recording sheet has been jammed in the conveyor path of the process unit, in this arrangement, the recording sheet, that jammed in the conveyor path, is taken out by detaching the transfer unit from the photosensitive device unit to uncover the conveyor path.
In the arrangement of the former process unit, however, it is very troublesome to take out the recording sheet because the operation of detaching the whole process unit from the apparatus body and the operation of re-attaching the whole process unit to the apparatus body are necessary to take out the recording sheet, that has jammed in the conveyor path, every time.
In the arrangement of the latter process unit, the photosensitive device of the photosensitive device unit is uncovered by detaching the transfer unit from the photosensitive device unit. Since the transfer unit is detached in order to take out the recording sheet jammed in the conveyor path, the photosensitive device may be damaged by touching a user""s hand or the like.
This invention provides a process unit, in which a recording sheet can be taken out by simple operation without damaging a photosensitive device in case the recording sheet is jammed in a conveyor path between a photosensitive device unit and a transfer unit, and an image forming apparatus provided with the process unit.
Thus, according to this invention, the jammed recording sheet can be taken out by swinging the transfer unit away from the photosensitive device unit to uncover the conveyor path.
This invention is a process unit comprising a photosensitive device unit and a transfer unit. The photosensitive device unit comprises a photosensitive device unit body, and a photosensitive device set in the photosensitive device unit body and designed to have toner image formed thereon. The transfer unit comprises a transfer unit body supported on the photosensitive device unit body and swingable between a first position in which the transfer unit body is located close to the photosensitive device to form a A conveyor path for conveying a recording sheet between the transfer unit body and the photosensitive device, and a second position at a distance from the first position, and a transfer device set in the transfer unit body and capable of transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive device to the recording sheet.
This invention is an image forming apparatus comprising an apparatus body and a process unit housed in the apparatus body and comprising a photosensitive device unit and a transfer unit. The photosensitive device unit comprises a photosensitive device unit body and, a photosensitive device set in the photosensitive device unit body and designed to have a toner image formed thereon. The transfer unit comprises a transfer unit body supported on the photosensitive device unit body and swingable between a first position in which the transfer unit body is located close to the photosensitive device to form a conveyor path for conveying a recording sheet between the transfer unit body and the photosensitive device, and a second position at a distance from the first position, and a transfer device set in the transfer unit body and capable of transferring the toner image formed on the photosensitive device to the recording sheet.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.